Margshirsha Krishna 12, Vik. Samvat 2082, Yugabda 5127 : 16 November, 2025: SM 7016 (For Private Circulation only)
1. FESTIVALS :
GITA JAYANTI: Srimad Bhagavad Gita is the essence of all Vedic wisdom
imparted to Arjuna by Bhagwan Sri Krishna. Gita Jayanti is the auspicious
celebration to commemorate the advent day of the Bhagavad Gita, spoken around
5000 years ago on the Mokshada Ekadashi Shukla Paksha Margashirsha in the
legendary battle of Kurukshetra. This year it falls on December 1.
2. PROGRAMS OF SARSANGHCHALAK DR MOHAN BHAGWAT: On
November 7, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sarsanghchalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat
addressed Valedictory Ceremony of Silver Jubilee Celebrations of Nele
Foundation, a caring home for destitute children, at RV Dental College
Auditorium, Bengaluru.
He further guided that some believe that institutions like Nele alone should
care for underprivileged children, but their true goal should be to awaken the
sensitivity and awareness in society so that every child is cared for by the
community itself. When society takes up this responsibility and the light within
each heart spreads to others, Bharat will rise and become the Vishwaguru.
Srinath Bysani, President of Silver Jubilee Reception Committee, Shivakumar D,
President Nele Foundation, RSS Sahsarkaryavah Mukunda CR and other seniors were
present on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, he said global economic ups and downs often have only
a limited impact on Bharat, and at times, unexpected challenges like tariffs end
up shielding the Bharat’s economy and that’s its strength. Over the past 5-10
years, MSME sector has steadily grown and is gradually becoming more competitive
in the global arena. To truly realize the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat on the
ground, the MSME sector plays a crucial role.
He said, “Our success is the nation’s success and a prosperous Bharat
strengthens the world. With responsibility comes divine strength, which I see
manifesting here today. Let this progress continue, guided by foresight, toward
a peaceful, prosperous, and harmonious world.”
During the program, RSS Sahsarkaryavahs Mukunda CR, Dr. Krishna Gopal, Akhil
Bharatiya Vyavastha Pramukh Mangesh Bhende, and others were present.
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3. BENGALURU: TWO DAY LECTURE SERIES OF DR MOHAN BHAGWAT:
The two-day lecture series titled “100 Years of Sangh Journey: New Horizons”
was held in Bengaluru on November 8-9 with the inaugural address delivered by
RSS Sarsanghchalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat. Speaking before a packed audience of
intellectuals, academicians, and social leaders, Dr Bhagwat reflected upon the
century-long journey of the RSS, its vision, and its commitment to
nation-building. In his speech, he dwelt on the foundational ideals of the
organisation, the life and mission of its founder Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar,
and the broader meaning of Hindu identity and unity in Bharat’s civilisational
context. On the dais with Dr. Bhagwat were RSS Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale,
Dakshin Madhya Kshetra Sanghchalak Vaman Shenoy, and Karnataka Dakshin
Sanghchalak Umapati G.
4. AKHIL BHARATIYA KARYAKARI MANDAL(ABKM) BAITHAK 2025:
The three-day ABKM Baithak of the RSS was held from October 30 to November 1 in
Jabalpur. The baithak was attended by Sarsanghchalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat,
Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale, all six Sah-Sarkaryavahs, Akhil Bharatiya
Karyavibhag Pramukhs, and members of the Karyakarini including all Prant
Sanghchalaks, Prant Karyavahs, Pracharaks, Sah-Prant Sanghchalaks, Sah-Prant
Karyavahs, and Sah-Pracharaks from all 46 Prants of the Sangh structure. A total
of 397 Karyakartas participated in the Baithak.
5. YUVA SAMMELANS IN ODISHA: On the occasion of RSS
centenary year, RSS Bhubaneswar Mahanagar organised a Yuva Sammelan on November
9 at Utkal University.
6. VIMARSH 2025—A THREE DAY ANNUAL YOUTH CONFERENCE:
YUVA - ‘Youth United for Vision and Action’ organised a three-day annual youth
conference “Vimarsh 2025” from November 7 to 9 at Kamala Nehru College,
University of Delhi which brought together youth, academicians, and thinkers to
deliberate on different subjects of importance. This year’s inaugural days’
theme was “Samvidhan: Bharat ki Atma” (Constitution: The Soul of Bharat). The
chief guest and keynote speaker former Justice AK Goel said that the
Constitution of Bharat is one of the most vibrant in the world — it not only
defines the structure of governance but also embodies the philosophy of life.
The annual issue of Campus Chronicle, titled “Samvidhan – The Soul of Bharat,”
was also released on the occasion.
YUVA is a youth-led organization that promotes constructive dialogue, inspiring
action, and nation-building rooted in Bharat’s civilizational ethos. Its mission
is to empower young minds as active agents of positive change in society.
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7. DATTOPANT THENGADI COMMEMORATIVE NATIONAL SEMINAR:
The Swadeshi Shodh Sansthan organized Dattopant Thengadi Commemorative National
Seminar on November 9-10 , at Gyan Kunj in New Delhi, marking the 105th Jayanti
of Dattopant Thengadiji, the visionary founder of Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh,
Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, and Swadeshi Jagaran Manch. The two-day seminar brought
together eminent scholars, economists, administrators, and industry leaders to
deliberate on Thengadi ji’s enduring legacy of Swadeshi, self-reliance, and the
resurgence of Bharat.
The seminar concluded with a collective resolve to realize Thengdi ji’s vision
of a dharmic, self-reliant, and globally respected Bharat – rooted in its
civilizational ethos.
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8. HSS JAPAN - HINDU HERITAGE CAMP: HSS Japan
successfully organized a Hindu Heritage Camp on November 8 in the Nagoya area,
bringing together 35 Swayamsevaks and Sevikas for a vibrant day of learning,
discipline, and cultural bonding. The camp began with Dhwajarohan, followed by
energizing Vyayam, engaging Khel, Surya Namaskar, and Amritvachan & Subhashita
recitations. Participants joyfully sang Sangh Geet, enhancing the spirit of
unity and devotion.
The camp concluded with Prarthana, reinforcing swayamsevaks commitment to
values, discipline, and service to society.
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9. HSS NEW ZEALAND VIJAYADASHAMI CELEBRATION: The
Ekatrikaran of all the Shakhas of the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) New
Zealand’s Upper North Island Vibhag was held to celebrate Vijayadashami Utsav on
October 4 in Auckland. The Utsav witnessed participation of over 320 attendees,
including 131 guests from about 31 Hindu organisations.
Vyayam Yog and display of physical coordination including spiritual alignment
were also performed by all sevikas and swayamsevaks including Bal Gana. In Ghosh
Pradarshan –musical instruments like Anak, Vamshi, and Shankha were played.
Along with this, the Bala Gana recited ten shlokas from Bhagavad Gita Adhyay
12-Bhakti Yog, with precision which they had been working on memorising for the
past couple of months. This practice reinforced moral discipline and devotion
among children.
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10. OCTOBER CELEBRATED AS HINDU HERITAGE MONTH IN THE USA:
HSS chapters across the country came together to celebrate Hindu Heritage
Month (HHM) in October 2025, marking its fifth anniversary.
This year, Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Governor Mike DeWine of Ohio,
and Governor Roy Cooper of North Carolina joined other state leaders in issuing
proclamations recognizing the month’s cultural significance and acknowledging
the contributions of the Hindu community to American society.
11. SEWA SUPPORTS OVER 1,800 CHILDREN FROM SINGLE-PARENT
FAMILIES ACROSS SRI LANKA: Sewa International Foundation, Sri Lanka, with
support from Sewa International USA, provides monthly educational scholarships
to over 1,820 students from 1,003 families across 11 districts, including
Batticaloa, Ampara, Kandy, Matale, Mannar, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Badulla,
Ratnapura, and Colombo. The initiative, launched in 2024, recently celebrated
its first successful year. The program supports families where a woman is the
sole bread-earner. Children who lost their father to the COVID pandemic or
abandoned get educational assistance through this program. Thousands of such
“Seva Families” gathered for the Sewa Kutumba Sangamam in Batticaloa to share
their stories and celebrate progress. Sewa Sri Lanka also organized similar
gatherings in Hatton, Mannar, Kilinochchi, Badulla, and Ratnapura.
12. SEWA ORGANISES GARBA NIGHTS WITH A PURPOSE IN USA:
More than 800 participants attended the Houston Chapter’s Garba Night on
September 5. The event concluded with a traditional Aarti to the goddess Durga,
bringing everyone together in devotion. Participants appreciated Sewa’s support
for local causes and collaboration.
13. HSS HOLDS ANNUAL BOOK FAIR AT ILLINOIS SCHOOL: In
October, the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) Peoria chapter, USA hosted its fifth
annual book fair at Trewyn School, one of Peoria’s most underserved
neighborhoods, with the aim of encouraging reading among children from
kindergarten to eighth grade.
The response was strong. 173 students bought 553 books, generating $410 in
sales, which was later donated to the school. Trewyn School used the funds to
purchase an additional 300 books for its classrooms and library.
The fair also celebrated 73 kindergarten and first-grade students who receive
weekly one-on-one reading sessions from HSS volunteers. Each of these students
was given a $1 gift certificate to buy a book of their choice—a symbolic moment
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14. BHARAT SENDS SACRED BUDDHA RELICS TO BHUTAN FOR GPPF:
The sacred relics of Bhagwan Buddha from Bharat have embarked on a
spiritually significant journey to Bhutan. The relics are being displayed at the
Kuenrey Hall of Tashichho Dzong from November 8 to 18 as part of the Global
Peace Prayer Festival (GPPF) in Thimphu. The event coincides with the 70th birth
anniversary of Bhutan’s fourth king, Jigme Singye Wangchuk.
In recent years, Bharat has organised similar exhibitions of Buddha relics in
Mongolia (2022), Thailand (2023), Vietnam (2024), and Russia’s Kalmykia region,
all of which drew immense public devotion and international acclaim.
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15. ISRAEL REMEMBERS THE GOOD MAHARAJA WHO SAVED CHILDREN
IN WORLD WAR-II: A statue of Maharaja Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji, the Jam
Saheb of Nawanagar, was unveiled recently at Moshav Nevatim in southern Israel
to honour his extraordinary humanitarian act of rescuing hundreds of Polish
children — including Jewish orphans — during World War II. The Bharatiya ruler,
affectionately remembered as the Good Maharaja provided refuge to around 1,000
Polish children in 1942, saving them from the horrors of war and giving them a
home in Balachadi village, near Jamnagar in Gujarat.
16. HINDU NETWORK LAUNCHES IN NHS TO HELP PATIENTS AND
STAFF EXPRESS THEIR FAITH: In UK, for the first time a national Hindu NHS
Network (HNN) has been launched to provide a supportive environment for Hindu
National Health Service staff and make the care for Hindu patients, carers and
their families across the service culturally more sensitive.
Founded by healthcare professionals and community leaders, the network aims to
empower Hindu staff and patients across the NHS (National Health Service) to
preserve their spiritual identity, cultural values, and personal wellbeing in a
system that often lacks faith-based representation.
The launch took place in a committee room of the House of Commons with a speech
by health secretary Wes Streeting.
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17. FOOD FOR THOUGHT: What constitutes the good of the
people? It is Dharma alone which can decide. Therefore, a democratic government
(Jana Rajya) must also be rooted in Dharma i.e. a Dharma Rajya. – Pandit
Deendayal Upadhyay
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JAI SHRI RAM
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DECODING THE MYTHS: UNDERSTANDING HINDUTVA AND HINDU ORGANIZATIONS IN AMERICA
HSS USA responds to a recent article in The Diplomat.
Vikash Deshpande
While reading
“Decoding
Hindutva’s US Operations”
“Decoding Hindutva’s US
Operations” by Snigdhendu Bhattacharya in The Diplomat, I was reminded of Neil
Armstrong’s timeless observation: “People love conspiracy theories.” Conspiracy
theories like the so-called moon landing hoax may amuse or intrigue, but when
such baseless narratives are weaponized against a law-abiding micro-minority
community, their impact becomes deeply harmful.
Unfortunately, the article does precisely that – it unfairly targets the small
but vibrant Hindu-American community, perpetuating suspicion and animosity
against an otherwise peaceful group that has long contributed positively to
American society.
At the center of this portrayal is a reference to a report hosted on the Rutgers
University Law School website by the Center for Security, Race, and Rights (CSRR),
titled “Hindutva in America: An Ethnonationalist Threat to Equality and
Religious Pluralism.” Although presented under the banner of an academic
institution, the report bears no author names – only a vague attribution to
“scholars from Columbia University, Rutgers University, and the University of
Denver.”
It is important to understand the historical background of Hindutva, its core
value, and how it became a cultural identity for Hindus globally.
Understanding Hindutva
The term Hindutva was first coined in 1892 by Bengali scholar Chandranath Basu.
In Sanskrit, the suffix “-tva” denotes “state of being,” like the English
“-ness.” Thus, Hindutva literally means “Hinduness” – a broader and deeper
expression of India’s civilizational ethos than the term “Hinduism,” which
emerged as a colonial construct seeking to confine a pluralistic cultural
tradition within the rigid framework of organized religion.
For millennia, Hindu Dharma has embodied diversity, dynamism, and inclusivity –
without a single founder, dogma, or central scripture. Its foundational
principle, expressed in the Rigveda as “Ekam sat vipra bahudha vadanti” (“Truth
is one; the wise express it in many ways”), reflects a profound pluralism long
before the modern discourse of “diversity, equity, and inclusion.”
During his imprisonment in the 1920s, Indian revolutionary and thinker V. D.
Savarkar expanded upon this idea in his seminal work “Essentials of Hindutva.”
To Savarkar, Hindutva represented India’s civilizational identity – anchored in
shared culture, geography, and values rather than confined to religion. It was a
unifying idea of belonging, not a doctrine of exclusion.
Despite centuries of invasion, colonization, and the humanitarian tragedy of
Partition in 1947, Hindu society – both in India and across the diaspora – has
continued to uphold inclusivity and coexistence. Minority communities in India
have not only grown in number but have thrived in public life, countering the
often-repeated but inaccurate narrative of majoritarian dominance.
Hindutva thus represents the enduring civilizational spirit of Hindus, rooted in
the belief that divinity pervades the entire universe – a vision articulated in
the Ishavasya Upanishad. At its heart lies the teaching of Swami Vivekananda:
“Nar Seva Narayan Seva,” or “Service to humanity is service to the Divine.” This
timeless ideal guides the personal practice and collective mission of Hindus
worldwide, forming the foundational ethos of the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, USA (HSS).
The Work of HSS in the United States
HSS exemplifies these values in practice. HSS is an independent, registered
501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates exclusively within the United
States. Through its weekly activity centers, known as shakhas, HSS promotes
fitness, yoga, teamwork, and community service – instilling values of
discipline, harmony, and selfless action rooted in the Hindu ethos of
“Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” (“The world is one family”).
Its membership includes men and women of all ages and professions – teachers,
doctors, engineers, business owners, and civic leaders – united by a shared
commitment to serve society.
Over the years, HSS has become a respected part of the American civic landscape
through initiatives such as the Health for Humanity Yogathon, which promotes
physical and mental wellness and has been supported by educational institutes,
businesses, correction facilities, interfaith, and several elected officials.
They also celebrate Black History Month to honor African American contributions,
organize Guru Vandana to honor teachers and educators, and celebrate Raksha
Bandhan / Universal Oneness Day to appreciate first responders and public
servants.
Additionally, HSS conducts Sewa Diwali, a nationwide food drive that has
provided millions of meals to families in need, working with over 700 Hindu and
non-Hindu organizations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, HSS volunteers helped
across the U.S. in 27 states and also helped the Federal Emergency Management
Authority (FEMA) during their early vaccination drives. They are also involved
in interfaith activities and more.
HSS has received recognition, including the 2023 Service Above Self MLK Youth
Leadership Award from Aurora (IL) Mayor Richard Irvin for community service and
promoting diversity, and the Kiwanis Club of Issaquah, Washington acknowledged
HSS with a Human and Spiritual Values Award for their contributions to food
drives and COVID-19 community support. Their initiatives have also been
appreciated on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives by Congresswoman
and now New Jersey Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill, and the Let’s Move initiative
by then-First Lady Michelle Obama partnered with the Health for Humanity
Yogathon for health awareness.
These are not clandestine operations – they are transparent, community-centered
activities that embody service, not sectarianism.
Setting the Record Straight
Despite its track record of selfless service, HSS is periodically dragged into
political discourse by writers who mistake cultural expression for extremism. No
credible evidence has ever linked HSS to any agenda promoting division, hate, or
violence. Its guiding philosophy is harmony through service, not politics.
If HSS can be accused of anything, it is of remaining grateful to its cultural
roots and inspiration from organizations such as the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
(RSS) for community centered activities and selfless services. HSS members
continue performing such social services for the entire American society that it
belongs to. HSS functions independently and transparently, in full compliance
with U.S. laws, and with the goodwill of local communities.
But just as the moon landing hoax thrived because a real moon landing existed,
conspiracy theories about HSS seem to persist precisely because HSS successfully
made a positive impact on the American society. When facts are inconvenient to a
narrative, some resort to conspiracy.
Rather than “decoding” Hindutva, perhaps it is time to understand it – as an
enduring philosophy of inclusivity, respect, and selfless service that continues
to enrich societies wherever it takes root and engage with genuine believers and
practitioners.
https://thediplomat.com/2025/11/decoding-the-myths-understanding-hindutva-and-hindu-organizations-in-america/
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SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: samvadnewsletter@gmail.com http://shrivishwaniketan.
